Fabian has joined the campaign to secure a long-overdue award for 1st World War hero Walter Tull, the first black soldier to be given a commission but whose bravery was not recognised with a Military Crosshe should have been awarded.

Walter Tull was first ever black officer in the British Army and the second black player ever to play professional football in England. Apparently he was recommended for the Military Cross for bravery but was not granted one because at the time officers in the army had to be white as it was thought that the troops would not take orders from a black man. He was made an officer by mistake ! He was recommended for promotion as a Sergeant, by a fellow officer as he recognized his amazing qualities as a soldier and leader of men. It was signed off at Military HQ by a senior officer who did not know he was black, he said later because of his name. It was too late then to stop him and he quickly gained further promotion to Lieutenant. On the 25th March 1918 he was killed in action leading an attack on the german trenches in France. His body was never found and he lies in Flanders with the thousands of other soldiers killed at that time.

At Westminster Fabian is to table an Early Day Motion and ask a question to Philip Hammond the Secretary of State for Defence to demand that Walter Tull be awarded the Military Cross posthumously.

You can learn more of Walter Tull's personal life and bravery - Click hereFor the Wikipedia article on Walter Tull -Click here